guess we can bid you skunks good-evening," came
quickly from Rawlinson. "Both of you beat it. And don't ever let me
ketch you around here again."

"What about my gun?" came feebly from Jim.

"I'll send the guns over to Levine's office to-morrow," answered the
head cowboy. "Now clear out, and be quick about it." And a moment later
the two rascals stumbled away through the darkness.

"This is certainly what I call luck," cried Allen excitedly, as he gazed
at the scrap of paper Levine had passed over. "Rawlinson, you have
certainly helped me do a good night's work. If what that scoundrel said
is true, this will mean a fortune for Betty and her mother."

"I'm glad I chanced along, Washburn," answered the head cowboy. "After
this I think I'll set a guard. If it leaks out that there is gold on
this ranch there will be all sorts of fellows beside those skunks trying
to locate claims around here."

"Will you go up to the house with me?"

"No. I'll stick around here a while and see if those fellows come back.
Besides, I want to see if I can get any trace of those strayed-away
calves. You go ahead. You can tell me about it later. You can take their
guns with you if you will."

Half running, half stumbling, in his eagerness, Allen reached the house,
took the steps of the porch three at a time, and burst into the big
homelike kitchen, where he found the family assembled.

"We've got 'em, folks!" he cried, waving the scrap of paper over his
head, while they stared at him as though they thought he had gone mad.
"I've been out hunting and brought home a prize. Come look at it."

He went over to the table beside which Mr. and Mrs. Nelson were sitting
and laid the two captured pistols upon the table. Infected by his
excitement, the girls crowded around, demanding an explanation.

[Illustration: THE GIRLS CROWDED AROUND, DEMANDING AN EXPLANATION.

_The Outdoor Girls in the Saddle._ _Page 163_]

"Pistols!" cried Betty, her eyes wide with dislike of the things. "Where
did you get them, Allen?"

"Oh, just picked them off the trees by the roadside," said Allen airily.
Then, suddenly becoming serious, he laid the scrap of paper beside the
weapons on the table. "There," he said, dramatically, "is the key that
may open your door to a fortune."

"A map," said Mrs. Nelson, her eyes glistening. "Oh, Allen, you've found
out something wonderful. Tell us about it, please."

And so Allen recounted what had taken place during that frui